Chuck Lorrehttp://www.adweek.com/taxonomy/term/4754/all
enBazinga! CBS Renews The Big Bang Theory Through 2016-17http://www.adweek.com/news/television/bazinga-cbs-renews-big-bang-theory-through-2016-17-156261
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/big-bang-theory-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
Nerds rejoice: CBS has renewed The Big Bang Theory for another three years, ensuring that Leonard, Sheldon and the rest of the gang will be yukking it up through the 2016-17 broadcast TV season.</p>
<p>
The duration of the pickup is not a shocker; when CBS last renewed Big Bang in January 2011, it was for a three-season run.</p>
<p>
Now in its seventh season, Big Bang is broadcast&rsquo;s top-rated scripted series, averaging a 5.3 in the adults 18-49 demo, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. (The Walking Dead is far and away the highest-rated show on the tube, averaging a whopping 6.7 in the dollar demo through the first 13 episodes of its fourth season on AMC.)</p>
<p>
With massive deliveries of advertiser-friendly viewers comes premium unit costs. According to media buyers, the average price of a 30-second spot in Big Bang during the upfront was a cool $326,260, making the show <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/big-bang-theory-gets-highest-ad-rates-outside-nfl-153087" target="_blank">network TV&rsquo;s most valuable scripted real estate</a>.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;Comedy is a big part of our schedule, and The Big Bang Theory is the biggest comedy force on television,&rdquo; said Nina Tassler, chairman, CBS Entertainment, by way of announcing the renewal. &ldquo;This multiyear deal further strengthens our network&rsquo;s position for future seasons and marks another chapter in the great partnership CBS enjoys with Warner Bros. Television for delivering audiences the best in comedy.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
While Chuck Lorre&rsquo;s most successful show is locked in for the foreseeable future, negotiations with the Big Bang cast have yet to begin. According to TV Guide&rsquo;s annual salary survey, leads Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco currently earn around <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/news/tv-highest-paid-stars-1069334.aspx" target="_blank">$325,000 per episode</a>, but that figure is expected to soar to as much as $1 million a pop after the dust clears with Warner Bros. TV.</p>
<p>
Lorre&rsquo;s other extant CBS comedies are also expected to be renewed in some way, shape or form. Mike &amp; Molly is pulling its weight in the Monday 9 p.m. slot, and CBS Corp. CEO Les Moonves last week gave the thumbs up to the freshman series Mom, which is averaging a 2.1 rating in the Monday 9:30 p.m. time slot (down 32 percent from the 3.1 its predecessor M&amp;M was delivering in the year-ago period).&nbsp;</p>
<p>
As for Two and a Half Men, CBS may consider bringing the show back for a final run of 13 episodes.</p>
<p>
Big Bang is likely to <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/moonves-big-bang-theory-will-move-accommodate-nfl-games-155710" target="_blank">debut in the Monday anchor slot</a> for the first six weeks of the 2014-15 season, making way for CBS&rsquo; big new acquisition, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/nfl-win-cbs-lands-even-bigger-bang-155503" target="_blank">Thursday Night Football</a>.</p>
<p>
Speaking Tuesday at the Deutsche Bank Media, Internet &amp; Telecom conference, Moonves told investors that he expects CBS to have just four new series on its fall prime-time lineup, with plans to launch a pair of freshman comedies and two new dramas. While that may seem like a short order, it&rsquo;s just one fewer show than CBS premiered this fall.</p>
Television2013-14 Broadcast TV SeasonAmcCbsChuck LorreJim ParsonsAnthony CrupiKaley CuocoLes MoonvesMike & MollyMOMNerdvanaNetworksNina TasslerRatingsSportsThe Big Bang TheoryThe Walking DeadThursday Night FootballTwo and a Half MenWarner Bros. TelevisionWed, 12 Mar 2014 16:52:02 +0000156261 at http://www.adweek.comCBS Picks Up Bad Teacherhttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-picks-bad-teacher-149730
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/ari-graynor-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
A week after presenting its <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-pumps-its-fall-comedy-lineup-149540" target="_blank">2013-14 prime-time schedule</a> at Carnegie Hall, CBS on Wednesday announced it has picked up another new series.</p>
<p>
The network has scooped up Sony Pictures Television&rsquo;s Bad Teacher, a single-camera comedy based on the Cameron Diaz film of the same name. (Released in July 2011, the movie grossed $100.3 million stateside.)</p>
<p>
All told, it&rsquo;s been one hell of a development season for Sony TV, which is producing eight new broadcast series. Other Sony newbies are: <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/michael-j-fox-explains-how-his-new-tv-comedy-mirrors-his-real-life-149653" target="_blank">The Michael J. Fox Show</a>, Welcome to the Family, Night Shift (originally titled After Hours) and The Blacklist (NBC); Rake and Us and Them (Fox); and ABC&rsquo;s The Goldbergs.</p>
<p>
Actress Ari Graynor (Mystic River, Fringe) will portray the character originated by Diaz. Other cast members include Kristin Davis (Sex and the City), David Alan Grier (In Living Color) and Sara Gilbert (Roseanne).</p>
<p>
Bad Teacher joins a CBS freshman class that is particularly heavy on comedy. <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/we-are-men" target="_blank">We Are Men</a> breaks into the Monday night comedy lineup at 8:30 p.m., where it will lead out of How I Met Your Mother. At 9:30 p.m., Chuck Lorre&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/mom" target="_blank">Mom</a> inherits the plum post-2 Broke Girls slot from Mike &amp; Molly, which will return in mid-season.</p>
<p>
After years of speculation, CBS has finally beefed up its Thursday night comedy lineup, adding two half-hour series with big stars attached. <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/the-millers" target="_blank">The Millers</a> (8:30 p.m.) stars Will Arnett, Beau Bridges and Margo Martindale, and <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/the-crazy-ones" target="_blank">The Crazy Ones</a> is a vehicle for Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Crazy marks Williams&rsquo; return to series television for the first time since Mork signed off to Orson for the last time in 1982.</p>
<p>
Also in the hopper is the midseason James Van Der Beek/Brooklyn Decker sitcom, Friends with Better Lives (20th Century Fox Television).</p>
<p>
CBS&rsquo; comedy investment is its most ambitious in recent memory. Last season, the network ordered just two sitcoms, Partners and Friend Me. The former was <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-breaks-partners-145276" target="_blank">canceled after just six episodes</a>, while the latter never made it to air.</p>
<p>
Bad Teacher is the second new comedy based on a theatrical. NBC&rsquo;s midseason entry About a Boy will lead out of The Voice in the Tuesday 9 p.m. slot.</p>
Television2013-14 Broadcast TV Season2013-14 UpfrontAri GraynorBad TeacherBrooklyn DeckerAnthony CrupiCbsChuck LorreDavid Alan GrierFriend MeFriends With Better LivesJames Van Der BeekKristin DavisMargo MartindaleMOMNetworksPartnersRatingsRobin WilliamsSara GilbertSarah Michelle GellarSony Pictures TelevisionThe Crazy OnesThe MillersUpfrontWe Are MenWill ArnettWed, 22 May 2013 21:09:51 +0000149730 at http://www.adweek.comCBS Pumps Up Its Fall Comedy Lineuphttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-pumps-its-fall-comedy-lineup-149540
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/the-millers-cbs-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
When you return as many franchise series as <a href="http://www.cbs.com/" target="_blank">CBS</a> did this year, you don&rsquo;t change the schedule so much as shift the tiles around like a giant Rubik&rsquo;s Cube.</p>
<p>
The top-rated broadcast network today announced a few major shifts in the structure of its prime-time lineup, slotting two new comedies and a drama on Monday nights and expanding its Thursday night sitcom block to a full two hours.</p>
<p>
Leading out of How I Met Your Mother in the Monday 8:30 p.m. slot, the Rob Greenberg (Frasier, HIMYM) comedy We Are Men stars Tony Shalhoub, Kal Penn and Jerry O&rsquo;Connell as a trio of divorced bros who live in the same apartment complex. At 9:30 p.m., <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/these-tv-pilots-look-sure-bets-fall-149157" target="_blank">Chuck Lorre&rsquo;s Mom</a> features Allison Janney and Anna Faris as an estranged mother-daughter battery.</p>
<p>
Bumping Hawaii Five-O from the 10 p.m. slot is the new drama Hostages. Produced by Jeff Nachmanoff (Homeland) and Jerry Bruckheimer, the taut thriller stars Toni Collette as a surgeon who, along with her family, is being held captive by a rogue federale (Dylan McDermott). The twist? The FBI agent will free the lot of them if Collette&rsquo;s character agrees to kill the president.</p>
<p>
Person of Interest begins its third season in the Tuesday 10 p.m. slot once occupied by the canceled Vegas and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/node/147586" target="_blank">Golden Boy</a>, while Wednesday remains untouched.</p>
<p>
On Thursday nights, The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men will bookend the newcomers The Millers and The Crazy Ones, while sophomore hit Elementary holds onto its legacy slot at 10 p.m.</p>
<p>
The Millers, from Greg Garcia, features the talents of Will Arnett and Margo Martindale (The Americans, Justified), while The Crazy Ones marks Robin Williams&rsquo; return to series television for the first time since Mork and Mindy said <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdz4dCMGbbw" target="_blank">&ldquo;Nanu-Nanu&rdquo;</a> for the last time in 1982. Sarah Michelle Gellar plays Williams&rsquo; ad executive daughter.</p>
<p>
Midseason entries include the dramas Intelligence (Josh Holloway) and Reckless (Anna Wood), as well as the new comedy Friends With Better Lives. Mike &amp; Molly returns for its fourth season at a later date.</p>
<p>
CBS will walk buyers through its entire 2013-14 schedule this afternoon at Carnegie Hall. The fall campaign is spelled out below; new shows are in bold.</p>
<p>
<strong>MONDAY</strong> <br />
8-8:30 p.m. &mdash; How I Met Your Mother<br />
8:30-9 p.m. &mdash; <strong>We Are Men</strong><br />
9-9:30 p.m. &mdash; Two Broke Girls<br />
9:30 p.m. &mdash; <strong>Mom</strong><br />
10-11 p.m. &mdash; <strong>Hostages</strong><br />
<strong>TUESDAY</strong> <br />
8-9 p.m. &mdash; NCIS<br />
9-10 p.m. &mdash; NCIS: Los Angeles<br />
10-11 p.m. &mdash; Person of Interest <br />
<strong>WEDNESDAY</strong> <br />
8-9 p.m. &mdash; Survivor <br />
9-10 p.m. &mdash; Criminal Minds <br />
10-11 p.m. &mdash; CSI<br />
<strong>THURSDAY</strong> <br />
8-8:30 p.m. &mdash; The Big Bang Theory<br />
8:30-9 p.m. &mdash; <strong>The Millers</strong><br />
9-9:30 p.m. &mdash; <strong>The Crazy Ones</strong><br />
9:30-10 p.m. &mdash; Two and a Half Men<br />
10-11 p.m. &mdash; Elementary <br />
<strong>FRIDAY</strong> <br />
8-9 p.m. &mdash; Undercover Boss<br />
9-10 p.m. &mdash; Hawaii Five-O <br />
10-11 p.m. &mdash; Blue Bloods <br />
<strong>SATURDAY</strong> <br />
8-8:30 p.m. &mdash; Comedytime Saturday<br />
8:30-9 p.m. &mdash; Comedytime Saturday<br />
9-10 p.m. &mdash; Crimetime Saturday<br />
10-11 p.m. &mdash; 48 Hours<br />
<strong>SUNDAY</strong> <br />
7-8 p.m. &mdash; 60 Minutes <br />
8-9 p.m. &mdash; The Amazing Race<br />
9-10 p.m. &mdash; The Good Wife<br />
10-11 p.m. &mdash; The Mentalist</p>
<p>
MIDSEASON (Slots TBA):</p>
<p>
<strong>Intelligence</strong>, <strong>Reckless</strong>, <strong>Friends With Better Lives</strong>, Mike &amp; Molly</p>
Television2013-14 Broadcast TV Season2013-14 UpfrontAllison JanneyAnna FarisCbsAnthony CrupiElementaryFriends With Better LivesHostagesIntelligenceJosh HollowayMargo MartindaleMike & MollyMOMNetworksPerson of InterestRatingsRecklessRobin WilliamsSarah Michelle GellarThe Big Bang TheoryThe Crazy OnesThe MillersUpfrontWe Are MenWill ArnettWed, 15 May 2013 19:25:03 +0000149540 at http://www.adweek.comABC, CBS Firm Up Their Fall Scheduleshttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/abc-cbs-firm-their-fall-schedules-149457
Anthony Crupi<p>
On the Friday night before the TV world converges on New York for the upfronts, word about their respective orders, renewals and cancelations is starting to trickle in from the ABC and CBS camps.</p>
<p>
First, the bad news. As expected, ABC has pulled the plug on freshman series <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/sunday-night-ghost-town-soft-launch-abc-s-red-widow-147690" target="_blank">Red Widow</a>, Malibu Country and How to Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life). Also not coming back in the fall are Happy Endings and Body of Proof.</p>
<p>
On the other side of the ledger, the network has ordered a slew of new shows, including the Joss Whedon thriller <a href="http://abcallaccess.com/show/marvels-agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d/" target="_blank">Marvel&rsquo;s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.</a> and a pair of David Zabel-penned (ER) dramas, Lucky 7 and Betrayal.</p>
<p>
All told, ABC has picked up seven new dramas, some more seemingly familiar than others. In what sounds like a Xerox copy of a Xerox copy of USA Network&rsquo;s Psych, Mind Games stars Steve Zahn and Christian Slater as brothers who use psychological manipulation and the short con to help deliver results to their clients.</p>
<p>
The River Styx reverses its course in Resurrection, a spooky drama in which the dead of Arcadia, Mo., begin to return to their loved ones. Produced by ABC Studios, Resurrection represents yet another attempt to tap into the supernatural zeitgeist.</p>
<p>
Also cleared for takeoff is the procedural Killer Women (Tricia Helfer) and the spinoff Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.</p>
<p>
ABC also heavied up on comedy, committing to five newcomers. The retro family sitcom The Goldbergs tested particularly well, and while CBS last spring passed on the Rebel Wilson pilot <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/hang-10-years-most-promising-failed-pilots-140737?page=3" target="_blank">Super Fun Night</a>, a second effort with a revamped cast helped earn the show a spot on ABC&rsquo;s fall roster.</p>
<p>
Other new ABC comedies include: Trophy Wife (Malin Akerman), Mixology (Blake Lee) and Back in the Game (Maggie Lawson).</p>
<p>
If you were involved with an underperforming CBS series, today was basically <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CDlBLvc3YE" target="_blank">Michael Francis Rizzi&rsquo;s baptism</a>. Freshman series <a href="http://www.adweek.com/node/147586" target="_blank">Golden Boy</a> and Vegas were both whacked, leaving Elementary the sole survivor of the class of 2012-13. Also not returning in the fall is the Rasputin-like comedy Rules of Engagement and veteran procedural CSI: NY.</p>
<p>
Having already booked a huge chunk of its prime-time lineup for a return engagement, CBS had to clear out a few time slots for its new crop of shows. Among the confirmed series orders are four comedies and a pair of dramas.</p>
<p>
The big investment in comedy is a bit of a reversal for CBS, which ordered just one sitcom (the quickly canceled Partners) before last year&rsquo;s upfront. The four new projects boast an unimpeachable comedic pedigree (Robin Williams, Anna Faris, Will Arnett and Tony Shalhoub are the real standouts), and the producers attached are a veritable murderer&rsquo;s row: Chuck Lorre, David E. Kelley, Jerry Bruckheimer and Greg Garcia.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/these-tv-pilots-look-sure-bets-fall-149157" target="_blank">To the surprise of absolutely no one</a>, CBS snapped up Lorre&rsquo;s latest effort; with four series on the air at the same time, Lorre finds himself in the company of prolific producers like Norman Lear and Aaron Spelling. Mom stars Anna Faris as a newly sober woman who moves back home to Napa Valley to try and pick up the pieces with some help from her mom, Allison Janny.</p>
<p>
Marking the first time CBS will have a single-camera comedy in the lineup in five years, Kelley&rsquo;s The Crazy Ones stars Williams as a slightly touched advertising executive and Sarah Michele Gellar as his creative-director daughter. The Millers features Arnett as a recently divorced guy whose parents move in with him for an extended stay, while We Are Men is an ensemble piece starring Shalhoub, Kal Penn and Jerry O&rsquo;Connell as a bunch of divorced dudes who live in the same short-term rental complex.</p>
<p>
On the drama front, CBS has ordered a series that seems to share some DNA with its sophomore hit, Person of Interest. Intelligence stars Josh Holloway as a super-sleuth who has a microchip implanted in his brain that allows him access to the &ldquo;entire electromagnetic spectrum.&rdquo; Also booked for the coming broadcast season is Hostages, a conspiracy thriller starring Dylan McDermott and Toni Collette.</p>
<p>
As CBS Corp. CEO <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/no-more-quiet-period-cbs-149082" target="_blank">Les Moonves</a> likes to remind investors, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/d-j-vu-all-over-again-cbs-renews-18-series-148185" target="_blank">it&rsquo;s not easy to break into the No. 1 network&rsquo;s prime-time lineup</a>. That said, by the time CBS unveils its fall schedule, it is likely to have picked up another drama or two.</p>
Television2013-14 UpfrontAbcAllison JannyAnna FarisBack in the GameAnthony CrupiBody of ProofCbsChristian SlaterChuck LorreDavid E. KelleyDavid ZabelDylan McDermottGolden BoyGreg GarciaHappy EndingsHow to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)Jerry BruckheimerJerry O’ConnellJosh HollowayKal PennKiller WomenLes MoonvesLucky 7Maggie LawsonMalibu CountryMalin AkermanMarvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.Mind GamesMixologyMOMNetworksOnce Upon a Time in WonderlandRatingsRebel WilsonRed WidowResurrectionRobin WilliamsSarah Michelle GellarSteve ZahnSuper Fun NightThe Crazy OnesThe GoldbergsThe MillersToni ColletteTony ShalhoubTricia HelferTrophy WifeUpfrontWe Are MenWill ArnettSat, 11 May 2013 03:55:51 +0000149457 at http://www.adweek.comAngusgate: Much Ado About Nothinghttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/angusgate-much-ado-about-nothing-145487
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/2-half-men-angus-t-jones-jon-cryer-hed-2012.jpg"> <p>
For those of us quietly hoping that <em>Two and a Half Men</em> co-star Angus T. Jones would embark on a Tiger Blood/Bitchin&rsquo; Rock Star From Mars media junket following his recent outburst about the show, it looks like the 19-year-old actor is going the more traditional route.</p>
<p>
A day after <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/angus-t-jones-trashes-two-half-men-393980" target="_blank">Jones characterized <em>2.5 Men</em> as &ldquo;filth&rdquo;</a> and urged fans to &ldquo;please stop watching it,&rdquo; the young actor walked it back, issuing a statement in which he expressed his gratitude for his 10-year stint on the CBS comedy.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;Without qualification, I am grateful to and have the highest regard and respect for all of the wonderful people on <em>Two and a Half Men</em>,&rdquo; Jones said, adding that the show&rsquo;s co-creator <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/price-and-men-kutcher-lorre-ponder-10th-season-138929" target="_blank">Chuck Lorre</a>, Warner Bros. TV studio boss Peter Roth and CBS were all &ldquo;responsible for what has been one of the most significant experiences&rdquo; in his life.</p>
<p>
Jones, who had said that <em>Men</em>&rsquo;s juvenile humor conflicted with his Christianity&mdash;the show&rsquo;s stock in trade is jokes about masturbation, drug use and the less exalted bodily functions&mdash;went on to apologize for his apparent disrespect toward his colleagues.</p>
<p>
Although Jones&rsquo; original video testimonial included the revelation that he no longer wants to be on the show, he added that he remains under contract through the end of the season. Thus far, neither the studio nor the network has indicated that it would invalidate Jones&rsquo; deal, which is reportedly worth between $300,000 and $350,000 per episode.</p>
<p>
Whether Jones stays or goes is immaterial, as his character has already begun being slowly phased out. He&rsquo;s already expected to miss at least two upcoming episodes, as his titular half-man has joined the Army.</p>
<p>
After a steep decline in ratings in the 2010-11 season (the last with embattled actor Charlie Sheen in the starring role), <em>Men</em> got a shot in the arm with the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/viewers-flock-sheen-free-two-and-half-men-134991" target="_blank">addition of Ashton Kutcher</a> and the comic resolution of Sheen&rsquo;s story line. Per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, the show was the second highest-rated scripted series on television last year, averaging 12.7 million viewers and a 4.2 in the adults 18-49 demo.</p>
<p>
After moving from its Monday night perch to Thursdays at 8:30 p.m., where it leads out of mega-hit <em>The Big Bang Theory</em>, <em>Men</em>&rsquo;s ratings have eroded somewhat. While the show is up slightly in total deliveries, averaging 12.9 million viewers through the first eight episodes, its 3.8 rating marks a 10 percent decline in the demo.</p>
<p>
Perhaps more significantly, <em>Men</em> is not retaining nearly enough of its generous lead-in. Season to date, <em>Big Bang</em> is averaging a whopping 15.9 million viewers and a 5.0 in the demo, which means that 3 million viewers are churning away when <em>Men</em>&rsquo;s opening credits begin to roll. Worse still, nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of the demo is going elsewhere.</p>
<p>
While none of this is exactly being met with high-fives among the CBS ad sales crew, it&rsquo;s worth noting that <em>Men</em> is surpassing its ratings guarantees. Advertising rates have been steady as well. Clients who invested in the show during the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-upfront-sales-pitch-or-victory-lap-140591" target="_blank">2012-13 upfront bazaar</a> paid roughly $250,000 per 30-second spot, a unit cost that is essentially flat versus the year-ago period.</p>
<p>
Before the season began, media buyers roundly applauded CBS for shifting <em>Men</em> to the post-<em>Big Bang</em> slot, noting that Thursday night remains the most important day on the calendar for movie studios and retail&mdash;two categories that have been stalwart supporters of the series.</p>
<p>
Still, there are buyers who say they represent a fair number of clients who want nothing to do with the raunchy comedy. &ldquo;People are knocking down my door to get on <em>The Big Bang Theory</em>, which does huge numbers and doesn&rsquo;t have any content issues,&rdquo; said one TV buyer, who added that <em>Men</em>&rsquo;s content issues makes it less universally beloved. &ldquo;Some of the people we do business with don&rsquo;t want their brands surrounded by fart jokes. Some&mdash;the movie guys, the videogame guys&mdash;don&rsquo;t care. Different strokes.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
As for Jones and his $8 million salary, fans of the show could do worse than keep a close eye on Lorre&rsquo;s vanity cards. The famously loquacious showrunner is in the habit of <a href="http://www.chucklorre.com/index-2hm.php?p=329" target="_blank">cramming all sorts of behind-the-scenes intrigue</a> into the logo of his production company.</p>
Television2012-13 TV Season2012-13 UpfrontAngus T. JonesAshton KutcherCbsAnthony CrupiChuck LorreNetworksPeter RothRatingsThe Big Bang TheoryTiger BloodTwo and a Half MenUpfrontWarner Bros TVWed, 28 Nov 2012 18:54:50 +0000145487 at http://www.adweek.comChuck Lorre Eyes Drama Developmenthttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/chuck-lorre-eyes-drama-development-143361
Anthony Crupi<p>
After all but singlehandedly stocking CBS&rsquo; comedy larder, Chuck Lorre is looking to branch out into drama.</p>
<p>
Lorre, the creator of the CBS hits <em>Two and a Half Men</em>, <em>The Big Bang Theory</em> and <em>Mike and Molly</em>, has re-upped with Warner Bros. Television through 2016. Per terms of his new deal, the 59-year-old Lorre will continue to write and produce comedies while trying his hand at developing one-hour scripted dramas.</p>
<p>
He also has the option to explore the theatrical side of the business.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Since coming into the Warner Bros. fold in 2000, Lorre has become one of the most successful comedy writers/producers in history. In its fifth season on CBS, <em>The Big Bang Theory</em> last year was the No. 1 scripted series on TV, averaging 13.5 million viewers and a 4.4 in the adults 18-to-49 demo. <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/viewers-flock-sheen-free-two-and-half-men-134991" target="_blank"><em>Two and a Half Men</em></a> finished just behind its sibling, drawing 12.7 million viewers and a 4.2 rating.</p>
<p>
Both series command some of the highest ad rates on the tube. Buyers estimate that <em>Two and a Half Men</em> last season boasted an average unit cost of around $250,000, while<em>TBBT</em> fetched as much as $200,000 a pop.</p>
<p>
Lorre&rsquo;s comedies also deliver massive syndication bucks. <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/bang-bang-pow-pow-tbs-wins-quarterly-ratings-race-139243" target="_blank">TBS invested $1.5 million per episode of <em>TBBT</em></a>, while <em>Men</em>&rsquo;s first licensing cycle has raked in nearly $1 billion.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m proud to say that at twelve years and counting, my relationship with Warner Bros. is now officially longer than either of my marriages,&rdquo; Lorre cracked. &ldquo;With that in mind, it seemed appropriate to extend our little corporate love affair and try for &lsquo;until death do us part.&rsquo;&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Lorre added that he was excited to have an opportunity to venture into drama. &ldquo;After writing and producing sitcoms for twenty years, it&rsquo;ll be a welcome relief to take all the violence, insanity and human suffering from behind the cameras and put it out front,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;And finally, the feature component of this new deal allows me to fulfill a lifelong ambition&mdash;to have a project in &lsquo;turnaround.&rsquo;&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Given the additional projects Lorre is prepared to add to his plate, he is expected to bring on some reinforcements.</p>
<p>
Prior to coming to Warner Bros., Lorre created and executive produced <em>Dharma &amp; Greg</em> (ABC), <em>Grace Under Fire</em> (ABC) and <em>Cybill</em> (CBS). Before that, he served as a co-executive producer/writer on ABC&rsquo;s <em>Roseanne</em>.</p>
<p>
Lorre first began working with Warner Bros. TV president Peter Roth back in the mid-90s, when Roth ran Twentieth Century TV and Lorre worked on <em>Dharma &amp; Greg</em>. (It was during the&nbsp;<em>D&amp;G</em> years that Lorre began inserting messages to viewers in his&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chucklorre.com/index-dg.php?p=1" target="_blank">vanity cards</a>. <a href="http://www.chucklorre.com/index-2hm.php?p=329" target="_blank">This</a>, perhaps, remains his most remarked-upon effort.) &nbsp;</p>
<p>
&ldquo;Chuck Lorre is the quintessential comedy writer/producer of our time and the most successful creator/showrunner of the last 25 years,&rdquo; Roth said, by way of announcing the deal. &ldquo;We are so incredibly excited&mdash;and honored&mdash;to be continuing our partnership with him.&rdquo;</p>
TelevisionCbsChuck LorreCybillDharma & GregGrace Under FireAnthony CrupiNetworksPeter RothRatingsRoseanneSyndicationThe Big Bang TheoryTwentieth Century TVTwo and a Half MenVanity CardsWarner Bros. TVWBTVWed, 05 Sep 2012 22:06:01 +0000143361 at http://www.adweek.comBang Bang Pow Pow: TBS Wins Quarterly Ratings Racehttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/bang-bang-pow-pow-tbs-wins-quarterly-ratings-race-139243
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/big-bang-theory-hed-2012.jpg"> <p>
<em>Mad Men</em> may be the ultimate critical darling and <em>The Walking Dead</em> a relentless devourer of GRPs, but the most transformative show on basic cable is actually a broadcast hand-me-down.</p>
<p>
According to Nielsen ratings data, Warner Bros.&rsquo; <em>The Big Bang Theory</em> is now the most-watched comedy on cable, drawing north of 3 million viewers per episode on TBS. Since making its cable premiere on Sept. 20&mdash;an 8-11 p.m. prime-time road block averaged 1.55 million viewers&mdash;the Chuck Lorre sitcom has sent TBS&rsquo; fortunes soaring.</p>
<p>
In the first quarter of this year, TBS accomplished something that hadn&rsquo;t been done in six years, unseating reigning champ USA Network as the top-rated cable entertainment channel among adults 18-to-49. Through March 25, the Turner net averaged 1.22 million members of the dollar demo in prime, marking a 33 percent improvement from the year-ago 923,000.</p>
<p>
The last time TBS came within shooting distance of USA was back in Q1 2010, when it finished second in the demo with 1.02 million viewers&mdash;275,000 shy of USA&rsquo;s 1.29 million.</p>
<p>
TBS also knocked MTV out of the box, growing its share of adults 18-to-34 by 28 percent with an average delivery of 670,000 viewers. MTV fell 21 percent to 593,000 adults in the demo although that comparison is made against the network&rsquo;s historically hot Q1 2011. In the first three months of last year, MTV soared 64 percent in the young adult demo, drawing a record 750,000 viewers.</p>
<p>
Last week, TBS aired 14 episodes of <em>TBBT</em> in prime and two in fringe (5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.). The three-hour Tuesday block remains the most popular, delivering an average crowd of 2.95 million viewers, but fans also poured in for the two-hour packages on Wednesday and Saturday night. The four-episode Thursday night block was scotched to make room for Turner&rsquo;s coverage of the second round of the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/nothing-net-march-madness-winning-investment-139073" target="_blank">NCAA tournament</a>.</p>
<p>
In head-to-head competition, <em>TBBT</em> regularly beats Comedy Central&rsquo;s <em>South Park</em>, <em>Tosh.0</em> and <em>Key &amp; Peele</em> in total viewers and the demo, and while it doesn&rsquo;t compete directly with repeats of <em>Two and a Half Men</em>&mdash;FX airs Lorre&rsquo;s other syndicated hit in fringe and Saturdays&mdash;the deliveries aren&rsquo;t even close.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
While <em>TBBT</em> has invigorated TBS&rsquo; prime-time roster, the show has also given Conan O&rsquo;Brien a much-needed lift at 11 p.m. After losing nearly half of its audience a year ago, <em>Conan</em> is rebounding strongly, averaging 726,000 adults 18 to 49 in Q1, up 18 percent from the previous three-month period.</p>
<p>
It should come as no surprise that <em>Conan</em> is putting up its best numbers in the middle of the week when it leads out of <em>TBBT</em>. Now all the comedian needs to do is work on his retention; last Tuesday, the show lost 63 percent of its <em>TBBT</em> lead-in, while Wednesday&rsquo;s installment fell 61 percent.</p>
<p>
The <em>TBBT</em> bounce didn&rsquo;t come cheap. Turner in May 2010 outbid FX for the off-net rights to the series, forking over a record $1.5 million per episode.</p>
<p>
<em>TBBT</em>&rsquo;s cable success coincides with its huge presence on <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/" target="_blank">CBS&rsquo; Thursday night lineup</a>. Now in its fifth season, <em>TBBT</em> is the most-watched comedy on television, averaging 14.1 million live-plus-same-day viewers. It is also the No. 2 scripted series among the 18-to-49 set, averaging a 4.6 rating.</p>
<p>
CBS last year renewed <em>TBBT</em> for three cycles, keeping the show on broadcast through at least 2014. In addition to network and cable TV, <em>TBBT</em> is in widespread syndication. Fox stations carry the show in 10 markets, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.</p>
<p>
Despite being dethroned by TBS, USA Network remained dominant among total viewers and adults 25-to-54. The NBCUniversal juggernaut averaged 3.07 million viewers in prime, for a loss of 5 percent year over year, and delivered 1.19 million adults 25-to-54 (down 9 percent).</p>
<p>
Among the top 20 basic cable nets, the biggest winners in the 18-to-49 sweepstakes were History, which improved 15 percent in the demo with an average draw of 1.04 million viewers; Discovery Channel, which rose 9 percent to 712,000; AMC, up 33 percent to 554,000; and Lifetime, up 20 percent to 554,000.</p>
<p>
Most double-digit ratings declines were made against unfavorable year-ago comparisons. For example, MTV&rsquo;s 19 percent drop was the result of an almost unreasonable comp; in Q1 2011, the network soared 62 percent in the demo, reaching 941,000 adults 18-to-49.</p>
<p>
FX experienced a similar oscillation. Over the last three months, the network fell 15 percent in the dollar demo, averaging 775,000 adults 18-to-49. A year ago, FX was up 20 percent to 881,000. If the extremes are dismissed and comparisons made against the first three months of 2010, FX actually grew 6 percent from 730,000 viewers.</p>
<p>
On the quarter, college football bowl games accounted for four of the five most-watched programs on ad-supported cable, with ESPN&rsquo;s coverage of the LSU-Alabama BCS Championship Game beating all comers (24.4 million viewers, 11.3 million adults 18-to-49). The top scripted program was AMC&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/dead-breathes-life-amc-networks-138969" target="_blank"><em>The Walking Dead</em></a>, which in its Feb. 12 midseason premiere scared up a record 10.7 million viewers and 7.26 million adults 18-to-49.</p>
<p>
Honors for the top unscripted program of Q1 go to the Season 5 opener of MTV&rsquo;s <em>Jersey Shore</em>, which drew 9.31 million viewers, of which 71 percent, or 6.58 million, were members of the 18-to-49 demo.</p>
TelevisionAmcCableCbsChuck LorreComedy CentralAnthony CrupiConan O'brienDiscovery ChannelEspnFXHistoryJersey ShoreLifetimeMad MenNetworksRatingsSouth ParkTbsThe Big Bang TheoryThe Walking DeadTosh.0Two and a Half MenWarner Bros.Wed, 28 Mar 2012 02:18:36 +0000139243 at http://www.adweek.comOf Price and Men: Kutcher, Lorre Ponder 10th Seasonhttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/price-and-men-kutcher-lorre-ponder-10th-season-138929
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/kutcher-lorre-hed-2012.jpg"> <p>
Ashton Kutcher played it coy when asked if <em>Two and a Half Men</em> would be renewed for a 10th season, but the Nielsen ratings say Walden Schmidt is a lock for at least one more tour of duty.</p>
<p>
Speaking at the 29th annual PaleyFest in Beverly Hills, Kutcher on Monday said<a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/two-and-a-half-men-ashton-kutcher-season-10-298833 " target="_blank">, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know if the show&rsquo;s been picked up</a> for another year,&rdquo; before adding that he hasn&rsquo;t heard from &ldquo;the powers that be.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Co-creator/executive producer Chuck Lorre played the same hand, saying that the decision to proceed with a fall season rests in the hands of Warner Bros. and CBS. Lorre did acknowledge the 800-pound gorilla in the room, noting, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s unusual when they cancel a show that&rsquo;s in the top 10.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
<em>Two and a Half Men</em> is actually the top-rated scripted series on television, and through the first 25 weeks of the 2011-12 season, ranks fourth among all broadcast programs.</p>
<p>
According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, <em>Men</em> is averaging a 4.7 rating in the all-important adults 18-49 demo, edging sibling comedy <em>The Big Bang Theory</em> (4.6). <em>TBBT</em> enjoys a slight advantage in total deliveries, averaging 14.1 million viewers per episode to <em>Men</em>&rsquo;s 13.9 million.</p>
<p>
An integral part of CBS&rsquo; wildly successful Monday comedy lineup, <em>Men</em> holds down the 9 p.m. time slot. At 8 p.m., <em>How I Met Your Mother</em> is averaging 9.22 million viewers and a 3.7 in the demo, while newcomer <em>2 Broke Girls</em> is the season&rsquo;s biggest new hit, averaging 10.8 million viewers and a 4.0 rating.</p>
<p>
Ratings are based on first-run episodes and encores. When repeats are tossed out of the mix, <em>2 Broke Girls</em> is averaging a 4.5 rating in the dollar demo.</p>
<p>
Sophomore comedy <em>Mike &amp; Molly</em> closes the block at 9:30 p.m., averaging 10.9 million viewers and a 3.5 rating.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/ashton-kutcher-s-smart-money-friends-131972" target="_blank">Kutcher</a> is nearing the end of the one-year, $15.4 million deal that brought him to <em>Men</em> last May. While not exactly peanuts, Kutcher&rsquo;s salary is worlds away from the $27.5 million deposed star Charlie Sheen was pulling down in his final season.</p>
<p>
In the inevitable event CBS decides to pick up <em>Men</em> for another season, Kutcher and his co-stars are likely to command significant pay increases. Jon Cryer currently makes $13.2 million per season, or $660,000 per episode, while Angus T. Young, the titular half-man, earns $5.5 million, or $250,000 a pop.</p>
<p>
If Sheen&rsquo;s explosive exit seemed to doom the show to a premature cancelation, this season has been nothing short of a triumph.<em> Men </em>is up 20 percent versus last season&rsquo;s average delivery of 11.6 million total viewers, and the guaranteed ratings have improved 34 percent, from a 3.5 to a 4.7.</p>
<p>
The other shows in the Monday lineup are also pumping up their numbers. <em>How I Met Your Mother</em> is up 23 percent in the demo (3.7, up from last season&rsquo;s 3.0), while <em>Mike &amp; Molly</em> has lifted its advertiser-friendly deliveries 17 percent to a 3.5.</p>
<p>
<em>Men</em> buried Sheen&rsquo;s character and introduced Kutcher&#39;s lovelorn Internet billionaire on Sept. 19. The season premiere drew <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/viewers-flock-sheen-free-two-and-half-men-134991" target="_blank">28.7 million viewers and a 10.7 rating</a> in the 18-49 demo, more than doubling the show&rsquo;s opening numbers from a year ago.</p>
<p>
In a red-carpet interview with <em>The Hollywood Reporter</em>, Lorre reiterated his earlier take on a renewal. <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/video/chuck-lorre-two-a-men-paleyfest-2012 " target="_blank">&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not confident about anything,&rdquo;</a> he joked. &ldquo;Why get cocky at this point? Anything could happen. I&rsquo;m just grateful we got to this point.&rdquo;</p>
Television2 Broke GirlsAngus T. YoungAshton KutcherCbsCharlie SheenAnthony CrupiHow I Met Your MotherJon CryerMike & MollyNetworksRatingsThe Big Bang TheoryTwo and a Half MenWarner Bros.Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:28:55 +0000138929 at http://www.adweek.comViewers Flock to Sheen-Free 'Two and a Half Men'http://www.adweek.com/news/television/viewers-flock-sheen-free-two-and-half-men-134991
Anthony Crupi<p>
The numbers are in and they speak for themselves: Charlie don&#39;t channel surf. Or rather, his fans don&#39;t.</p>
<p>
Charlie Sheen on Monday night was given a less-than-reverent sendoff from <em>Two and a Half Men</em>, but the reception that greeted his replacement was warm indeed.</p>
<p>
The season premiere of Chuck Lorre&rsquo;s ribald sitcom drew 28.7 million viewers and a 10.7 rating/25 share in the 18-49 demo, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, more than doubling the show&rsquo;s opening numbers from a year ago.</p>
<p>
New cast member Ashton Kutcher was introduced shortly after Charlie Harper&rsquo;s funeral service, during which a clutch of female mourners expressed their contempt for the deceased lothario. (Having been struck by a train in a Paris Metro station, Sheen&rsquo;s character &ldquo;exploded like a balloon filled with meat.&rdquo;)</p>
<p>
Later in the episode, Kutcher&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/two_and_a_half_men/video/2134543444/two-and-a-half-men-nice-to-meet-you-walden-schmidt" target="_blank">Walden Schmidt appears</a> at the Malibu beach house once shared by Charlie and his brother Alan (Jon Cryer). A lovelorn Internet billionaire, Waldon is both a failed suicide and an unselfconscious naturalist. (Kutcher spent a good portion of his screen time in the buff.)</p>
<p>
For his part, Sheen made a game effort to demonstrate that he&rsquo;s stanched the flow of &ldquo;Tiger Blood,&rdquo; going so far as to tweet a photo of himself and three other gents taking in the ninth-season opener of <em>Men</em>: &ldquo;Surrounded by friends and watching the premier of <em>Two and a Half Men</em>. Odd...But cool..! So far a lot of laughs!! Nice...&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Immediately after <em>Men</em>, the series premiere of <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/2_broke_girls/video/" target="_blank"><em>2 Broke Girls</em></a> retained 67 percent of its lead-in, averaging 19.4 million viewers and an extremely promising 7.1/16 in the demo. Compared to the series premiere of regular time slot occupant <em>Mike &amp; Molly</em>, <em>2 Broke Girls</em> was up 79 percent in total viewers.</p>
<p>
According to the early Nielsen numbers, <em>Girls</em> now stands as the most-watched fall comedy premiere since September 2001, when <em>Inside Schwartz</em> bowed to 22.5 million viewers in NBC&rsquo;s post-<em>Friends</em> slot.</p>
<p>
While <em>Girls</em> got off to a sizzling start, next week the show will give up the plum post-<em>Men</em> slot for its regular 8:30 p.m. starting time, where it will lead out of <em>How I Met Your Mother</em>. Ted, Barney, et al., delivered 11.6 million viewers and a 4.9/13 in <em>Mother</em>&rsquo;s one-hour season premiere.</p>
<p>
Also making its debut last night was NBC&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-playboy-club/video/pilot/1356259" target="_blank"><em>The Playboy Club</em></a>, which struggled in its 10 p.m. slot against ABC&rsquo;s <em>Castle</em> and CBS&rsquo; <em>Hawaii Five-0</em>. The retro bunny hop delivered an anemic 5.02 million viewers and a 1.6/4 in the demo, tying <em>Crusoe</em> as NBC&rsquo;s all-time lowest-rated fall drama premiere.</p>
<p>
<em>Crusoe</em> was canceled in January 2009, after just 12 episodes.</p>
<p>
The dead-on-arrival<em> Playboy Club</em> got very little assistance from the season premiere of <em>The Sing-Off</em>, which managed just 5.3 million viewers and a 1.9/5 in the demo.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Despite&nbsp;<em>Playboy Club</em>&rsquo;s ugly start, the&nbsp;Parents Television Council on Tuesday continued to hammer away at the show, calling out sponsors Unilever and Chrysler for their complicity in &ldquo;mainstreaming pornography.&rdquo;&nbsp;(Ironically, if&nbsp;<em>Playboy Club</em> were nearly as titillating as the PTC&nbsp;insists, it probably would have put up much better deliveries.) &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>
&ldquo;The ratings for <em>The Playboy Club</em> speak for themselves,&rdquo; said PTC president Tim Winter. &ldquo;Clearly, Americans aren&rsquo;t interested in tuning in to a show that amounts to little more than a chauvinistic advertisement for the Playboy brand. Advertisers should take a cue from viewers and find something else to support.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Should&nbsp;<em>Playboy Club</em> fall much further, the PTC will need to find another show to demonize. As it stands now, things don&rsquo;t look promising for the period piece.</p>
Television2 Broke GirlsAshton KutcherCbsCharlie SheenChuck LorreAnthony CrupiNetworksRatingsThe Playboy ClubThe Sing-OffTiger BloodTwo and a Half MenTue, 20 Sep 2011 19:53:50 +0000134991 at http://www.adweek.comSheen Preens: New 'Two and a Half Men' Will Be a 'No-Show'http://www.adweek.com/news/television/sheen-preens-new-two-and-half-men-will-be-no-show-131178
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/charlie-sheen-duh-winning-2011.jpg"> <p>
Charlie Sheen has launched yet another attack on <em>Two and a Half Men</em> co-creator Chuck Lorre, spewing vitriol at his former boss in a 280-word screed sent to intermediary TMZ.</p>
<p>
Flying under the banner <a href="http://tinyurl.com/65rbgav" target="_blank">&ldquo;Good Luck Chuck,&rdquo;</a> the rant features Sheen&rsquo;s signature rhetorical flourishes&mdash;in rapid succession, the actor mocked Lorre as a &ldquo;sad silly fool,&rdquo; a &ldquo;low-rent nutless sociopath,&rdquo; and &ldquo;a spineless rat&rdquo;&mdash;all of which serves as a prelude to a withering assessment of the show&rsquo;s future prospects.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m out here with my fans every night,&rdquo; Sheen wrote. &ldquo;The message is crystal clear: NO CHARLIE SHEEN. NO SHOW. And that&rsquo;s exactly what it will be for you and your desperate vanity cards, every Monday night, a no-show.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
The broadside comes on the heels of a <a href="http://tinyurl.com/65rbgav" target="_blank">report</a> that Lorre is working on a Sheen-free version 2.0 of <em>Two and a Half Men</em>, featuring an as-yet unidentified new lead.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Despite the constant barrage of attacks on his character, Lorre has limited his responses to his vanity cards, those two seconds of airtime after the closing credits that are generally reserved to display the production company&rsquo;s logo. Lorre has made an occult art of his vanity cards, cranking out wordy musings that can only be read if the picture is paused.</p>
<p>
Sheen&rsquo;s first attack on Lorre came 10 days after the producer ran a vanity card that read, in part, &ldquo;If Charlie Sheen outlives me, I&rsquo;m gonna be really pissed.&rdquo; At the time the card ran, Sheen was undergoing a sort of home-bound rehab.</p>
<p>
Calling into the <em>Alex Jones Show</em> on Feb. 24, Sheen lashed out at Lorre, referring to him as &ldquo;Chaim Levine&rdquo; (Lorre&rsquo;s birth name is Charles Michael Levine) before going on to rip everything from the show to Alcoholics Anonymous. The call also got the ball rolling on Sheen&rsquo;s &ldquo;Winning!&rdquo; meme and it was the platform from which he introduced the concept of &ldquo;Vatican assassin warlocks.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
CBS pulled the plug on <em>Two and a Half Men</em> the following day.</p>
<p>
Also included in Sheen&rsquo;s latest jeremiad was a challenge to Lorre to meet him in court (&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll beat your chicken shit soul in a court room into a state of gratitude. A state of surrender.&rdquo;). In March, Sheen filed a $100 million lawsuit against Lorre and Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises, an action the actor&rsquo;s attorneys claim was initiated on behalf of their client and the cast and crew of <em>Two and a Half Men</em>.</p>
<p>
Lorre and Warner Bros. TV have argued that the case should be hashed out in private, in arbitration.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Before signing off, Sheen took a last dig at the show that made him the highest paid actor on television. (Before he was given the heave ho, Sheen was pulling in $2 million per episode).&nbsp;</p>
<p>
&ldquo;The ratings right now are not a fluke,&rdquo; Sheen wrote. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a big fat mess. A 2.0 demo? That sucks. Almost as bad as you. You&rsquo;ve been warned. Reap the whirlwind you cockroach, reap it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
That 2.0 18-49 rating to which Sheen referred was garnered by a repeat.</p>
TelevisionCharlie SheenChuck LorreNetworksAnthony Crupi131178 at http://www.adweek.com